Thanks Barbara! You rock my socks! the link to the discussion didn't work. for those interested, it is oatmellow.newsvine.com and by the way, I vote YES! because I am an intelligent person.

Thanks Mel, I fixed the link and it works now.

I agree totally, ladies. But just discussing wasn't enough for me. I also emailed MSNBC to let them know how I felt about their use of the out-dated, over-used, inaccurate description of Romance Novels. Here's their email address if any of your readers feel the need to do the same: letters@msnbc.com ~ Melissa Mayhue

I agree totally, ladies. But just discussing wasn't enough for me. I also emailed MSNBC to let them know how I felt about their use of the out-dated, over-used, inaccurate description of Romance Novels. Here's their email address if any of your readers feel the need to do the same: letters@msnbc.com ~ Melissa Mayhue

I don't read the authors they had in the article and I don't know anyone who does.

I don't read the authors they had in the article and I don't know anyone who does.

Also not happy how they split the "yes" votes into two different categories so neither would amount to as much.

Even forgetting about the orgasmic nature of the response for choice #1, it was unbelievably biased for them to split "yes" and "sometimes" into two choices. By definition, if you read romances "sometimes" then you read them. So the true answer is "yes." By splitting them up, they're just trying to get the answer with the most votes to be "no".

OMG. How very annoying this pesky survey is. The irony is that it's part of an excerpt from a Danielle Steele novel.

YES I read romance novels. But NO I wouldn't read Danielle Steele if I was paid to do it. How ironic that MSNBC stuck their biased (against Romance novels) poll into a very good example of why romance novels are so often maligned.

I'll admit I don't often read them. But I do write them. As far as I'm concerned a good story is a good story and who gives a damn what genre it's in?

Thanks for the info. I'm going to email MSNBC right now. I love to read romance novels, I just don't know why they have to call them bodic-rippers.

Thanks for posting this! What an aggravating survey. Are we ever going to get away from that phrase? Who even wears a bodice anymore???

I write romance and there hasn't been a bodice ripped EVAH. Eye Roll! Maybe we should write a romance featuring the author of that article...

Melissa Mayhue, thanks for MSNBCs email address. Let us know if they respond to you.

I've already voted, and shared the poll too! It's so condescending to be ridiculous in the means of the poll, and it's biased to vote against the romance novel. They split the possible yes votes to one resounding no. What's up with that? Seriously? Whoever did their *cof* research *cof* research to post that poll needs to look again because Romance is the leading fiction seller out there.

I told them exactly what I thought of their stupid term 'bodice ripper.' Give me a break! How dare they lump all romances into such a crude, and incorrect category?!!!

Mel is all kinds of awesome but I refuse to let her suck me in to the Twitter thing. I did vote this morning though. I'm always stunned when a "news" organization gleefully proclaims publicly. If this is an example of their research I won't be visiting their site.

I voted YES! And emailed MSNBC for the SLUR. today@msnbc.com Write them and tell then just what you think of their belittling of an industry where women hold the power. Shame on MSNBC!!

I'm ashamed that up until a couple/3 years ago I held the same biased opinion about romance novels (I'm making up for that in spades, I think!!). Now I proudly tell all and sundry that they're missing a good thing by overlooking a genre because of its name. And I get irritated when people do the same thing I did. It's really a matter of ignorance, but how to educate potential readers? I don't know. I voted yes, and I'll be emailing msnbc.

Go, Barbara! Calling romance novels 'bodice rippers' is about as dated, ignorant and chauvinistic as walking down the street chanting 'hey, chickie-chickie.' They should be ashamed -- and better informed. Should they choose to remain uninformed, then they should at least be respectful.

Ha I spread the word to several Romance reader/writer groups I'm part of. We'll see how well that goes for MSNBC now.

Oh just ::SIGH:: Will this baloney ever end? Off to vote.

I've read hundreds of romances and not a ripped bodice in the bunch. Makes you wonder how badly researching everything else at MSNBC is!

Of all the ridiculous .... Voted.

I saw this, and it was so annoying the way the phrased it. Thanks for the link to Mel's 2cents. Dragon

I think Daniel Craig would read romance novels, because he's a thinking man and would look for any advantage when it comes to getting into a woman's pants. Craig and other "secure in their masculinity" dudes for the win! My girlfriends and I in high school laughingly called them "Smut Books." MSNBC should've used that--at least it would show some creativity as they insult an entire genre and its readers.

I voted early and still can't get over the stupidity of it all. Also, Daniel Craig is spanktacular.

Two thumbs down for MSNBC! They're displaying their abysmal ignorance. As long as I was there, though, I voted. Thanks for the alert, Barbara! I also heard it from Leslie Kelly

Two thumbs down for MSNBC! They're displaying their abysmal ignorance. As long as I was there, though, I voted. Thanks for the alert, Barbara! I also heard it from Leslie Kelly

Really Kristen...spanktacular? I like it!

This is a good example of why polling on anything is a poor excuse for actual journalistic effort. How the questions are worded speaks more about the personal biases of the poll takers than establishing any 'factoids' of consequence. On a deeper level, an attack on romance novels is a slap at women, who make up 78% of the romance readership. If a poll by a national news organization targeted any other demographic for ridicule, we'd still be hearing the howls of indignation.

I sent a whole group of people over there today. Didn't bodice ripping go the way of Fabio? Oh, but you know what? Daniel Craig could rip my bodice any time. Just saying.

I sent a whole group of people over there today. Didn't bodice ripping go the way of Fabio? Oh, but you know what? Daniel Craig could rip my bodice any time. Just saying.

Barbara, I love how you linked the page four times jsut to make sure we voted. :) Of course I voted yes, I couldn't live without romance books. So I think I'm an intelligent person for voting yes.

Ah, Emily, you're on to me. I thought I was being sly. :)

I voted yes, but did some serious teeth gritting in the process. How do you say 'PUSH POLL'?

Barbara, thank you for the heads-up on this poll. I voted. It's sad to me that we're still fighting the "bodice-ripper" label.

;) I vote yes because I'm an intelligent person.

I voted but totally agree, what is up with that? I do not need some male dominated quasi-news organization to tell me my chosen form of reading material is a freakin joke. Thanks for posting this and for the email addy. On my way to vent a bit. :) Becky

Voted tried to leave a comment on the board but somehow something went wrong. Will email and see if that works out better.

I heard about this yesterday and not only voted, but sent an email to MSNBC telling them what I thought of their lousy poll. I suggested they do their research since they apparently don't know that the term "bodice ripper" went out with hoop skirts and is also derogatory, but that romance accounts for more than half of paperback sales. Basically, I told them their poll simply showed their ignorance, and I signed it as a proud member of RWA. I just wonder if they'll respond publicly to the comments.

I voted yesterday, then e-mailed the link to my husband (he sits across from me in our office :) He's so resourceful. He found the comment box, and he let them have it! We both fuming!

Thanks for bringing this to everyone's attention, Barbara! I hate biased questions! Why couldn't they just ask if people enjoyed reading romance? Anyway, I voted!

Barbara, you are the coolest. They should have you writing these polls.

Wow Barbara!! Daniel Craig's picture knocked me off my chair!!

Thanks or the link Barbara! And for speaking up!

I voted and I emailed a response to the outdated terminology. Why do people think that there is no literary merit in Romance novels? A good book is a good book!

I already voted when I saw this mentioned somewhere else. Thank you for mentioning it here. I didn't realise I could comment as well. Talk about a loaded question. Sounds like they want a resounding no, so they've phrased the question to lead everyone to denying they read romance, even if they do.

I find your questions about romance fiction offensive. The "yes" question is a slur. The "sometimes" answer is ludicrous. Every human activity is, by definition, SOMETIMES. Part of the time we sleep, eat, go to the bathroom, balance our checkbooks, read stupid surveys, send emails to electronic devices that probably dump them with no regard for their meaning. In PART of the time remaining to me, I read romance. MSN should rephrase their questions and start the survey over. Lynnette Baughman, romance author Sequim, Washington

Lynnette, your letter to MSNBC rocks. Let us know if you get a response.

I so agree that they are ignorant and undereducated and prejudiced. Was glad to see the e-mail address for them. I'm deeply insulted by the yes question phrasing. wish we could find out the name of the actual author or authors.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Barbara! In this country there are now only two groups of people it is acceptable to ridicule: lawyers and romance writers. Lawyers don't need to fight back because they're too busy laughing all the way to the bank. Romance writers are too underpaid to do the same because their stories sell well enough to subsidize the rest of the industry. So it's about time somebody stood up for romance writers besides themselves. So thank you to you and to Daniel Craig. I want that photo to put up in my office and remind me good guys can also have gorgeous brawn and brains.

Yikes! Thanks for making us aware, Barbara. I, too, am appalled at how that article (and the survey) depicts romance novels and those who read them. Sheesh. You'd think they'd at least try to get some updated information in there. Bodice rippers? I haven't heard that expression in a loooooong time.

I added my vote "YES!"

I use to enjoy romantic suspense but then about five years ago it seemed to branch off into so many different specialized niches - cowboy, paranormal, hardboiled, etc - that I couldn't find anything I liked. About that time, it also seemed the suspense lessened and the romance came even more center stage. I enjoyed the suspense and felt annoyed by the romance. The males were always guys no woman would be interested in...and often the women acted so horrible toward the men that I couldn't figure out why the guys would be interested in the women, either!